A Hospice Nurse, or End-of-Life Nurse, is a health care professional who provides care for terminally ill patients. Their duties include monitoring vital signs, administering medications and supporting patients’ family members.
A Hospice Nurse should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Hospice Nurse should be able to execute:
- Monitoring patient vital signs, including body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure
- Administering medications and treatments prescribed by physicians
- Notifying physicians when they observe a change in a patient’s condition
- Counseling family members to help them know what to expect as their loved one’s condition worsens
- Making family members aware of resources like counseling and government programs
- Helping family members complete paperwork
A competitive Hospice Nurse will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Observation skills to recognize changes in patients who may be unable to communicate
- Strong oral communication skills to direct other members of the health care team and deliver reports to physicians
- Well-developed interpersonal skills to interact positively with patients and their family members
- Attentiveness to detail to maintain accurate patient records
- Familiarity with pain relief drugs and other medications and treatments commonly prescribed for hospice patients
- Computer skills, including using email and patient record management software
